B1F is Running! Fuel Gauge Squirrelly

[Bradley S.]

Progress Report

Fired up my 48 B1F this weekend. Follow link below for video. First time I have used Photobucket so hope it works.

http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/ac306/Booshmaster/?action=view&current=DSCF0677.flv&newest=1

Sure gave my 80 year old dad a thrill to see his old truck running again and go for a ride around the barn yard!

I had no spark when I first tried to start it. The problem was a bad points connection. Fixed that and checked for spark again by cranking the engine with the coil wire lying 1/4" from the distributor cap center post terminal.

I cranked the engine, saw the spark jump from the coil wire to the center cap terminal and then the engine started! With the coil wire arcing to the cap center terminal, the engine started. I was not ready for that! It started and idled perfect with no need to choke or coax it along.

By the way, when idling, the fuel gauge pointer is stable. When I rev the engine, the needle goes squirrelly, shaking rapidly back and forth. Checked the connections at the gauges, they seem fine. Ran a separate ground from the sender to frame. Still the needle shakes. Have you ever encountered this? Does anyone have a solution?

Thank you to all of your technical help. It was invaluable to me in this project!

Brad

[HanksB3B]

What a beautiful place you live is. The truck looks right at home.

Hank

[Merle Coggins]

Atta boy Brad. It's gettin' there. And you look good in bib overalls.

I don't get any sound, is it supposed to be a silent movie?

Merle

[DollyDodge]

Congrats. I liked your video, but I couldn't get sound, might be my computer. Anyway, it was fun to see you old truck running

[JBNeal]

If you are still running with the original fuel level sending unit, the variable resistor may be about to blink out on ya. The resistance wire in the sender is about as thin as a hair wrapped around an insulated cone, and it doesn't take much corrosion for that wire to lose continuity. Removing the sender from the tank & clipping some temporary leads to the fuel gauge will allow ya to check the fuel gauge movement with the sender movement.

[Bradley S.]

Hello;

Thanks you guys!

My digital camera is old and I don't think it has sound.

The sending unit is new from JC Whitney. It's one that was mentioned on this forum. Maybe I stil have a bad connection.

[Allen I.]

I think maybe it is just shaking with excitement.

[48Dodger]

Hey Brad,

Nice work! Mind if I post your video to my Youtube Channel? (dedicated to our 48-53 Dodge Trucks)

http://www.youtube.com/user/194853DodgeTrucks

48D

[rustyzman]

Nice truck. Love those flatbeds. Plus its local!

Just a thought, but could you be experiencing a mechanical vibration? Perhaps release the gauge pod and hold it in your hand while revving to see if it goes away. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes those needles respond to frequencies of vibration that we don't even notice. Just a thought.

[Reg Evans]

No help here. Just wanted to say congrats on getting it running again and surprising your Dad.

I have been having a similar problem lately with the gas gauge in my 52 converted to 12 volts over 10 years ago. It worked fine until 6 months ago when the needle started to only register full until I drive for a while and use up a gallon of gas. Then the needle starts jumping from E to F. If I'm not moving it will stay on the E after using about a gallon but when I start driving the needle slams from E to F hard enough that I can hear the needle hitting the little stop pegs on the gauge.

What up with that

[Bradley S.]

48D;

Sure go ahead and post it.

Rustyzman;

You might be right. Harmonics are strange. I just remembered I have a spare gauge and I will change it out and see if that cures it.

Reg;

Maybe put a Valium in the next tank of gas.

[Dave72dt]

May sound strange but clean the points on the voltage regulator. May be bouncing along with the points opening and closing, sending voltage spikes into the system.

[Bradley S.]

Dave;

That does make sense. I will check it out.

[HanksB3B]

No help here. Just wanted to say congrats on getting it running again and surprising your Dad.

I have been having a similar problem lately with the gas gauge in my 52 converted to 12 volts over 10 years ago. It worked fine until 6 months ago when the needle started to only register full until I drive for a while and use up a gallon of gas. Then the needle starts jumping from E to F. If I'm not moving it will stay on the E after using about a gallon but when I start driving the needle slams from E to F hard enough that I can hear the needle hitting the little stop pegs on the gauge.

What up with that

Up till now I thought (and still kinda do) that it's because I did not provide a clean ground between the powdercoated tank and the sending unit. We'll see if I can fet the old one working or just go with my JC Whitney new one.

Hank

P.S. Enjoying the Dodge Pickups Bunn/Brownell book you and Time helped mr get a look at. Not done yet Tim. Regards to both of you Hank

[Dave72dt]

Just watched the video. Pretty big smile on your face! Don't blame you a bit. Congrats!!

Dave